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Under the Code of Practice on the Identity Card Number and other Personal Identifiers, an employer, in the process of recruitment, should not collect job applicant's identity card copy. In case the employer has employed a very large number of staff, he may record the ID card numbers of the job applicants for checking them against those of previous applicants or to check whether they were the former staff of the company.

An employer can only collect ID card copy of an applicant after the applicant has accepted the offer of employment. However, an employer must marked on such copy, across the entire image of the identity card, the word "copy" in order to reduce the instance of misuse of such ID card copy.

In addition, a job applicant may have filled in his ID card number on the job application form. Before use, an employer should check that number against the number of the ID card produced by the applicant in person. This will ensure the accuracy of the ID card number collected.

An employer should also not issue any staff card to his employees with their ID card number printed on it. This is prohibited even if the card bears an altered form of the ID card number from which the ID card number of the employees may be deduced. This requirement applies no matter the card issued is to be worn or publicly shown by the employees or not.

Furthermore, under the Code of Practice on Human Resource Management, when an employer finds it necessary to publicly announce that a former employee has left employment, and no longer represents it, the employer should not disclose, in the public announcement, the ID card number of the employee. Generally speaking, the individual's full name, former job title and name of the organization would be sufficient for the purpose.

For further enquiries, please call the Privacy Commissioner's Office Hotline on 2827 2827.

Date: 19th December 2002